1960 Model Trains Magazine.

[Santa Fe buff]

Ouch. Crumbling isn't what to expect.

[Jhanecker2]

Plastic molding  has improved considerably  in 30 + years.  Used to have a similar problem with Plastic Ship models  " Airfix Models" used to have the most brittle plastic & the most Flash on their parts.   Revell had the best. Bandai were good but had instructions  in Japaneze English ;Aurora & Lindberg weren't Bad  either .

[kevin2083]

If I can find my dad's camera I'll post a pic of what I've done with it...

[grumpy]

I have a no.of old model railroad mags. There are ads in the mgs from shops and mfg that no longer seem to exsist. I am hoping someone could supply the history.
America's Hobby Centre ,
Mar's Models
SMC Model Railroad centre
Pro Custom Hobbies
Hobby World ,Grand rapids Mich.
U.S General Hobbies
Madison Hardware
H.O Specialists Ardmore PA
Don

[Woody Elmore]

SMC was Sal Marino in Staten Island. He started as an Athearn dealer and expanded to other lines. He used to sell at a discount and his business was mostly mail order. At first his sales in the store were cash only and that hurt his walk in business. Myself and two friends would drive over to his store to buy Kadees in bulk. That was before the steep bridge tolls went into effect.

He expanded into cameras and dropped selling trains.

America's Hobby Center was on 22nd Street in Manhattan. It's entrance was hard to find and it was on the second floor. They basically were like Trainworld and Trainland are today. I would imagine that rising rents forced them to close.

At one time a trip to Manhattan could take you to AHC on 22nd street, Madison Hardware on 23rd streeet, Polks on Fifth Avenue and Carmen Webster's on 45th street. (There is still a hobby shop there.)

[Woody Elmore]

I failed to mention that Madison Hardware was a hardware store. They also specialized in Lionel repairs and parts. It was like Santa's Workshop for Lionel fans! They had all kinds of interesting trains on display, many of them very old. I don't remember how much "hardware" they actually had but I do remember a key machine.

The store was owned by twins. When Lionel went down the tubes they kept going for a few years but eventually closed their doors. I remember that the Lionel parts inventory was sold off.

Again, being located where they were - off Madison Avenue, the real estate was valuable and prices rose very sharply 25 years ago.

[grumpy]

Thanks Woody.
I am always curious as to the fate of some of these business that appear to be well entrenched .
Don

[Woody Elmore]

I googled Madison Hardware and found that the contents of the store were auctioned off in 2003. I had no idea that the shop was in business that long. I do remember reading an obituary of one of the twins who, for years, fixed and sold Lionel trains.

Manhattan used to be be paradise in the 1950s. The Gilbert Hall of Science had an operating American Flyer layout which was always realistic. Then one could go over to Lionel on 26th street and see the big Lionel Layout - every item in the catalog was on display and working. I fell in love with Lionel Wabash trainmasters one year! Then you could go to Macy's Herald Square and see their Lionel display. Today they'd say it was awesome.

Polks Hobby Shop on 32nd second and fifth Avenue had several floors. There was a floor for plastic models-airplanes, ships, Revell military and things like that. Then there was a floor just for trains. They had a floor for flying models and r/c boats. They also carried games, Gilbert Chemistry sets and lead soldiers from Britain. It was quite a place.

[ebtnut]

Pro Custom Hobbies is still in business out in Eldersburg, MD.  The original owner, Joe Luber had the shop in Catonsville, just outside Baltimore.  Our friend Lee Riley worked there for a couple of years before moving on to "bigger things".  Joe moved to Colorado and opened a second store out there, but that didn't quite work out and then he was diagnosed with cancer and passed away.  The new owners moved the shop down the street for a couple of years before moving to their current location.